WELLINGTON.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 452, 14 January 1869, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

(from our own correspondent.) Jan. Bth. Since my last letter the old year has become a matter of history, and the new one has so far advanced that I am late in wishing you a happy new year. The usual festivities of the season have been carried on here with, perhaps, a little more than usual animation. New Year's Day was a magnificent one, and the thousands of people who poured into the enclosure for the Caledonian games were tempted out as much by the fine weather as the sports. On New Year's eve everybody in the city seemed about. The night was lovely, with no wind, a clear sky, and a bright moon. At a few minutes before twelve, the various A r olunteer bands, having for the time united, commenced to parade the town playing lively airs, the church bells rang, rockets were thrown up, and blue lights burnt in the harbour by the shipping; and in a general way I must say that the good people of Wellington did their hest to welcome the coming, speed the parting year.

Col.Whitmore is in full pursuit,—so say the telegrams received last night from Napier. Did you ever see the celebrated picture of the Pursuit of Pleasure ? It represents a mixed crowd of people each in hot pursuit of some end in which he imagines he will obtain happiness, but which constantly evades him. The subject is treated in a masterlj manner, and certainly is not a very cheerful one. I saw it once when a boy and have never forgotten it, hut if I lose sight of it now for a few days some telegram from Napier that " Col. Whitmore is in full pursuit" brings it readily before me. Poor man, he is always in full pursuit, and yet we are never told of what. It can't he of safety, for from all accounts he never was in danger. It can't be of the enemy, for he always manages to have a strong body of Friendlies between him and them. Is it of the " Friendlies " themselves he is always in pursuit ? Is he afraid they will do their work without him ?

The news which tells us that Col. Whitmore is in full pursuit, gives us the intelligence that the rehel fortress Kapanga has been attacked by the Arawas aud Ngati porous and destroyed, that 120 Hauhaus have been killed, and 100 prisoners including Te Waru have been taken, and that Te Kooti escaped. These prisoners are all women and children except 15 men. From the number who escaped it is now ascertained that Te Kooti's band was much stronger than was imagined. Strong as it may have been, it has now received a severe blow, which I can only hope will be followed up till the rebel and arch-mur-derer himself is taken and hung. Wonders will never cease. If any man in New Zealand might have been supposed to believe in the infallibility of Provincialism and its adaptation to the requirements of the colony, that man is Dr Featherston, the Superintendent of Wellington; aud yet recently he has expressed his opinion that its existence is now a matter of a few months. This opinion has been held by most people for some time past, but it is a fact worth notice that the Champion of Provincialism should at length believe in the possibility of his pet system being behind the age. Government House here is to be rebuilt, and the work will be commenced immediately after the departure of His Excellency for Canterbury. Stenuous endeavors will be made to get the new building completed before the arrival of the Duke of Edinburgh in March. Sir Greorge Bowen starts in H. M. S. S. Challenger on Sunday for Lyttelton. It is not thought that at present he will do more than visit Canterbury before his return to Wellington. The survey of a route for a line of telegraph between Wellington and Wanpanui is to be proceeded with without delay. The line will, I believe, generally go along the present coach road. Tenders for the supply and delivery of 3000 poles for the work are being advertised for.

During last session of Parliament it was decided that prizes should be offered for the best essays on " The means for securing the permanent settlement of the mining population of New Zealand, and for fixing within the colony the capital which i < being drawn away from the goldfields, as shown in the great excess of exports over imports at the ports of the exclusively gold mining districts." In accordance with the resolution an announcement of the prizes offered appeared in a recent Gazette. The essays are to be sent in to the Colonial Secretary's office, by the 28th February, and are to be endorsed " Essay on the settlement of the goldfields." Each essay to be signed with a motto only, and, under another sealed envelope, each essayist will give in his motto and name with address. These envelopes with the names inside will not be opened till the question of the merits of the essays has been decided. There will be three prizes—£so', £3O, and £2O.

The Jews in Wellington are about te erect a Synagogue on one of the best sites in the town. For the ground they have given £2,000. If the design now decided on be carried out the building will cost about £1,500, and will be a -remarkably pretty ornament to the city, No steamer has as yet arrived from Sydney to take the mails to Panama. There is probably some hitch in arrangements which will cause the stoppage of the line. At present, however,

even in the company's office here nothing definite is known. Should the line cease there can he no douht that it will be a misfortune not only for New Zealand, hut for the whole of the Australian colonies. Our trade with America is increasing every month, and this line offers direct communication with the States. Besides this, by it New Zealand is brought prominently before the world, and recognised as one end of the longest ocean line of steamers.